This event was part of the London Craft Week 2024.
The "tree of life" motif stands with reassuring centrality in the world of design, its limbs branching sinously through various times and cultures. It is incomprehensible to think of our planet without plants, of life without plants. Consequently, the symbol of the 'tree of life' centres around regeneration, life force and the kinship amongst all beings. From Norse, Buddhist and Mayan mythologies to the Bible; from Indian palampores to Persian carpets, the tree remains the real and fantastical connector.
Equally, the drawing of scientific trees of life can be traced back at least 450 years, helping us conceptualise the relatedness of all species. From Darwin to genetic sequencers, many use this arboriform imagery.
This lecture was given by Susanna Paisley Conservation biologist/designer was awarded a PhD from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology and the Institute of Zoology in London for her studies of spectacled bears in the Andean cloud forests of Bolivia. Her field notes have always been full of illustrations of flora and fauna encountered. Such illustrations now form the basis of nature-celebrating textile and wallpaper designs (frequently following in the fertile tree of life tradition) for her company, Newton Paisley.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Linnean Society works to inform, involve and inspire people of all ages about nature and its wider interactions through our collections, programmes and publications. Founded in 1788, the Society takes its name from the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778).
www.linnean.org
Follow us on social media:
/ linneansociety
/ linneansociety
/ linneansociety